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The GLAAD Wrap: The Real L Doc, Freedia is the Queen Diva, and Alex Davis Rocks

Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBT-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.

1) The Athena Film Festival, “a celebration of women and leadership,” kicks off its third annual festival weekend February 7-10 at Barnard University. The festival features several LGBT-inclusive films including I Stand Corrected, an intimate portrait of upright bass player Jennifer Leitham whose unusual technique and extraordinary talent has made her one of the most recognizable transgender musicians in the jazz world; Who is Pauline Park? about transgender Korean-American adoptee Pauline Park’s search for belonging through research of her adoptive parents genealogical roots; and Devout which follows women living in New York and New Jersey as they struggle to find reconcile their orientation with their Orthodox Judaism religion which condemns LGBT individuals. Tickets are available now.

2) Over the weekend at Showtime’s Television Critics Association panel Entertainment President David Nevins announced that popular lesbian/bi reality series The Real L Word would be undergoing a format change and made into a documentary. “The Real L Word is an important franchise. I want to change up the show and probably not continue it in exactly the same form. […] I think we’ll do a Real L Word documentary. We did the scripted show, did an ensemble reality show, and now it’s probably going to become a stand-alone documentary this year. But I think it’s an important franchise for us. It could be one-part, be two parts, they’re diving in doing research right now.”

3) Applications are open for Lambda Literary’s 2013 Writers’ Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices to be held in Los Angeles on July 28 – August 4. The retreat, established in 2007, is a week-long “intensive immersion in fiction, nonfiction or poetry.” Applicants submit 20 pages of fiction/nonfiction or 10 pages of poetry by April 1 to be evaluated and eight to twelve students per genre are accepted to the retreat where they will work on their manuscripts and meet LGBT publishing professionals. Learn more at the Lambda Literary website.

4) Out actor John Barrowman and his sister Carole will be writing the introduction for new essay-collectionQueers Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the LGBTQ Fans Who Love It. Contributors include former Doctor Who script supervisor Gary Russell who discusses the show’s effect on him as a teen, Tanya Huff (Blood Ties) who analyzes the Doctor’s orientation and Paul Magr’s (Hornets’ Nest) defense of the show’s campiness. The collection will be available for sale on June 4 and can be pre-ordered now at Barnes and Noble.

5) Writer/performer Alex Davis will be debuting selections from his new musical Shave at Joe’s Pub in New York City on Friday January 25, 2013 at 7pm. This extraordinary one night rock-musical performance about the evolution of Davis’ self-transformation into a transgender man is based on his one-man show Alex Davis: Man of the Year. Joe’s Pub is located at the Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street and tickets are $15. Purchase tickets here.

6) Pitchfork.tv this week released "The Queen Diva," a short documentary about bounce rap artist Big Freedia. Freedia, who was nominated for the Outstanding Music Artist GLAAD Media Award in 2011, discusses the history of the New Orleans bounce scene, hangs out with friends and family, performs and shares her story. Watch "The Queen Diva" below.

8) Singer-songwriter Aiden James also released a new music video this week for his single “Hurry Hurry” about that desperate feeling to be with the one you love. The album Trouble With This is available now on iTunes. Check out “Hurry Hurry” below.

9) The documentary A Self-Made Man about transgender youth advocate Tony Ferraiolo is looking for funding help to cover post-production costs. Ferraiolo works with transgender youth and their parents to help both sides communicate and gives youth a safe place to be who they really are. He has been honored for his advocate work by Lambda Legal and has appeared in the PBS series In The Life. Check out A Self-Made Man’s Kickstarter page for more information and watch the trailer below.

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GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. More about GLAAD >>